Virgins Beware

[kylie]

I paid the balance of our forthcomming trip this morning. Foolishly I priced the same holiday booking it today - It is £500 pounds cheaper today than when it was booked last year dispite the increase in fuel charge.

I phoned CS and got the expected result - we would not charge you extra if the holiday was more expensive therefore no reduction. Fine I replied if we were talking about £100 but £500 then they made a refrence to the contract etc and finaly advised to write to customer services.

It is common knowledge that Virgin have been on the decline for a number of years. I have traveled the Orlando route more than a dozen times. Three of these in the last 12 months and I would be coming round to the position that virgin will be the last place to look and that the decline is terminnal Viva BA!!!

sorry for the rant

 

[AndRu]

Oh that's harsh. Still, if you hadn't booked early you might not have got the flights / accomodation you wanted. I guess it's just a gamble most of us have to take

 

[Claire L]

Yes agree it is a gamble would you offer to make up the difference if the holiday price had gone up? I don't think so! It maybe that the costing you have done is a mega deal hence the cheaper price as I have recently looked, I know bad thing to do really, and our holiday has stayed constant or maybe is now £50 more.
When I book I book knowing I have got the flights and accomodation I want at a price I am willing to pay. You book on the understanding prices can go up as well as down.

Claire

 

[mark&sue]

I like to book early (especially as we are still stuck with school holiday times) just to make sure I get the right flight I want. We often take friends so want to make sure we get enough of us on the flight. The best thing to do is not to look at the prices again anytime after booking.

I couldn't even get the day I wanted with Virgin when I booked over a year in advance for this coming October. I know I could have got the flight with VA at 11 months out, but just wanted to get it booked so went with a fly drive with BA holidays. We are DVC members and only need flights and boy are they expensive.

DH was looking for August next year and suggested we cut it short by a few days as it was cheaper and spend the savings gong skiing again. I was none too pleased as I did not like skiing!! Also we are trying to fit a cruise in too.

I knew I should not have let him look at the brochure as I am the one who usually books and pays!! Oh well the drinking isn't bad on a skiing holiday, but no Bahama Mamas!!


Susan

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I like to book early (especially as we are still stuck with school holiday times) just to make sure I get the right flight I want.
Susan

We do the same, school holidays in August etc and usually book several months in advance.

Never check the prices once we have booked, we make our decision to book early for good reasons, if the price gets cheaper then so be it - we have had our share of bargains over the years.

 

[kylie]

I don'd normally check prices again either, however with all the publicity re fuel charges I checked expecting it to be more expensive. yes the fuel charges are up it just the seat price thats down £130 each!!

 

[tartangirl]

That does seem a large reduction - is it the seats that have been reduced in the sale?

My flights for this year are no longer available so I'm glad I booked early.

I take it that you're giving up on Virgin means that BA are cheaper.

 

[Pootle]

I haven't been paying too much attention to these boards recently, so forgive me if this is old news, but it was mentioned on the radio last week that there was a lot of unsold capacity for Florida this summer and expect bargains to be had.

No doubt the resident TAs on this board will have more information but what you've hit is the market at work; oversupply = price reduction. It is pretty annoying though when it happens to you.

I hope you have a wonderful time to make up for it

 

[Red-Snapper]

Just a fact of life - not sure why you are pricing it now given you arent booking it now.

& if you think BA would treat you better - good luck !!!

 

[rosiejo]

Paul - is there another flight out and back on your days with seats available? You'll get charged £25 per person to make the change but it might be worth doing if the seats are £130 different in price.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Its like anything esle take the risk its still available later at a lower price, or book now and find its gone on a sale. Holidays, shops, share prices and exchange rates, guranteed it will always be better the day after you book it.

If limited to dates book asap. Virgin is there first to make a profilt, its unfair if someone gets it better than you but again I do not think other companies would help either.